GREENVILLE, Miss.–Greenville police officers have more incentive to stay in Greenville to perform a job that requires both sacrifice and dedication. Mayor Errick Simmons and Police Chief Marcus Turner announced a base pay raise of $10,400 per year during a Friday press conference.
Both Turner and Simmons said the raise is a reward for the job they do and is also an incentive to keep them from going where the pay may be greater, saying the raise keeps cops salaries in line with regional cities of similar size.
“Folks don’t want to go into policing,” said Simmons. “And so, the people who are in policing or who want to go into policing, we need to do what we have to do to attract them, but more importantly retain them.”
Simmons said the raise is one of several steps to enhance the department’s resources and capabilities. But, he did not elaborate.
Turner said the department has made strides in its goals of protecting citizens.
“We have drastically decreased crimes in our community. We have decreased violent crimes in our community,” he said. “One of the things that we are trying to continue every single day is reestablish that relationship with the community.”
Turner did not provide stats to support his anecdotal statement about reducing crime.
Simmons said the city council has also approved raises for people in other departments and those would be announced later.
